Let's just skip over the part where I give all my excuses for not blogging lately, shall we? ;)
52 days until I have my master's degree! I just counted them and, while it actually sounds like a rather large number, I can totally see the light at the end of my tunnel. In fact, I feel like I'm aboard a freight train traveling at startling speeds through that tunnel because there's so much to do!
I feel rather liberated from homework since my winter intersession class finally wrapped up in early February. It was rather time consuming work (writing curriculum plans and creating a lot of lessons), but I was able to "kill two birds with one stone" and use some of those lessons for my practicum hours. Speaking of which, practicum has kept me pretty busy. I started a pretty intense collaboration project with our 5th grade Social Studies class, but due to many uncontrollable events (snow days, state testing days, etc.) we still haven't finished it. I was feeling like the project should be on the Fail Blog so I decided to start up another one! So now, I am helping first graders write and illustrate stories for a young author's contest while trying to get the 5th grade project done. I think one of the main lessons I have learned in my practicum hours is "it will always take longer than you think" and/or, "there are never enough hours in a day." Of course, what mom doesn't already know the latter?
In addition to my collaboration projects, my regular job (library aide), and my homework (from my "Techniques of Research" class--ugh.), I also have been trying to put together my portfolio. Right now I am thanking the heavens that one of the teachers during summer school had us set up the "skeleton" of our online portfolio using Google sites. Now, all I have to do is plus in the artifacts and reflections. I'm sure I have some "spiffing up" to do, but the biggest chunk of work is already out of the way, and for that I am very thankful.
So....we're all caught up for now. I promise to do better...especially since there's only 52 days and counting before I leave the title of "University Mama" behind!
Showing posts with label library-media specialist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library-media specialist. Show all posts
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Week in Review
Exciting. Apprehensive. Overwhelming. Invigorating. Structured. Challenging. Exhausting. Fulfilling. Enjoyable. These are just a few words that describe my back-to-work experience this week.
A few people may wonder how a simple position as a library assistant could possibly be invigorating or fulfilling. I can hear it now, "Don't you just shelve and check-out books?" Um...no. There's actually much more to the job than that, but most people think that's all a bonafide librarian does anyway. However, because I am working on my master's degree in the field, I am privy to much more than a typical library assistant would be. I'm so excited to be working under a wonderful librarian who is basically treating the opportunity as a mentorship. We look at budgets and Accelerated Reader testing. We discuss policy and brainstorm on how the library could be rearranged. We are much more of a "team" than a typical librarian/assistant would be.
I have been pretty well exhausted this week, though. First of all, I'm not used to being on my feet all day. This is one aspect of the job that I didn't expect: I rarely get to sit because we are constantly busy and on-the-go all day. That adds to the tired I'm already feeling from trying to get back into a school sleep schedule rather than a "wake up when you want to" summertime schedule. I admit that I'm not doing very well on getting to bed early enough, but I have forced myself out early enough to get a tiny bit of exercise in (this week I need to work on doubling my exercise time).
My freezer meals have been a tremendous help so far. I'm already worried about running out of "goodies" because I either don't have time and/or energy to get to the grocery store after school.
I am a bit anxious about my grad school classes beginning this week. I'm taking nine hours this semester (glad I dropped one class earlier this summer; I could have never handled 12 hours and a new job!). I'm not exactly excited about coming home and getting started on homework when I have plenty of chores to take care of, dinner to cook and when I need to be supervising my children's homework/chores. I'm wondering where I will find the energy? Where will I find the time? The evenings are so short as it is...and we haven't even begun extracurriculars like soccer and piano lessons for the girls, yet. Still, I keep reminding myself that others are in the same boat. They lived and survived; so will I.
A few people may wonder how a simple position as a library assistant could possibly be invigorating or fulfilling. I can hear it now, "Don't you just shelve and check-out books?" Um...no. There's actually much more to the job than that, but most people think that's all a bonafide librarian does anyway. However, because I am working on my master's degree in the field, I am privy to much more than a typical library assistant would be. I'm so excited to be working under a wonderful librarian who is basically treating the opportunity as a mentorship. We look at budgets and Accelerated Reader testing. We discuss policy and brainstorm on how the library could be rearranged. We are much more of a "team" than a typical librarian/assistant would be.
I have been pretty well exhausted this week, though. First of all, I'm not used to being on my feet all day. This is one aspect of the job that I didn't expect: I rarely get to sit because we are constantly busy and on-the-go all day. That adds to the tired I'm already feeling from trying to get back into a school sleep schedule rather than a "wake up when you want to" summertime schedule. I admit that I'm not doing very well on getting to bed early enough, but I have forced myself out early enough to get a tiny bit of exercise in (this week I need to work on doubling my exercise time).
My freezer meals have been a tremendous help so far. I'm already worried about running out of "goodies" because I either don't have time and/or energy to get to the grocery store after school.
I am a bit anxious about my grad school classes beginning this week. I'm taking nine hours this semester (glad I dropped one class earlier this summer; I could have never handled 12 hours and a new job!). I'm not exactly excited about coming home and getting started on homework when I have plenty of chores to take care of, dinner to cook and when I need to be supervising my children's homework/chores. I'm wondering where I will find the energy? Where will I find the time? The evenings are so short as it is...and we haven't even begun extracurriculars like soccer and piano lessons for the girls, yet. Still, I keep reminding myself that others are in the same boat. They lived and survived; so will I.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Big Changes Ahead
First, I had to make the transition from "Mama" to "University Mama." Then, I had to get used to commuting three times a week rather than twice a week. Then, I had to figure out how handle summertime and summer school. After that, I had to get into "life-after-college" mode when I finished my undergraduate studies, and quickly transitioned into accepting "life-in-graduate-school." Then, there were the three weeks where I had to remember how to live in a dorm and eat in a college cafeteria. Yep, I'd say I've had to make plenty of changes and adjustments over the past three years....but none as big as this one.
After 11 years of being primarily a SAHM (stay at home mom), I'm going back to work full-time!
I was excited to learn that I'd been hired as a library aid at our school. This is excellent on-the-job training for me (not to mention that I'm now getting paid for practicum hours I needed to fulfill anyway). A great resume booster and I'll be working with a top-notch librarian. For someone in my position who is studying to be a librarian, you really couldn't ask for more.
While my photography business has kept me busy, I've never had a steady work routine. I've always had the freedom to schedule doctor's appointments or hair cuts during the day. I've never had to fight the crowds at the grocery store when the hungry masses are just getting off work. I've always been able to leave town for anything from funerals to visits to old friends without major scheduling issues, even while a student at the university. I realize that those days are over to some extent, and that I will have to make significant changes in the way I do things.
I guess a part of me is a little sad to see the SAHM part of my life pass by. It was good while it lasted, but my girls aren't so little anymore. Our plan was for me to stay home until our youngest went to kindergarten. I did, and now it's time for the next step in life. To be honest, I do perform better when I'm adhering to a fixed, regular schedule.
Then, there's the part of me who is nervous about juggling graduate studies with a full-time job. I've always felt sorry for my classmates, most of whom are full-time teachers trying to get homework done while finishing their lesson plans, too. Still, I should be grateful that as an aid, I will not have such a significant work-load. I don't even have to be at school on teacher in-service days or anything.
There are so many questions and ideas and plans rolling around in my head these days, I can hardly sleep. Monday--my first day on the job--will be here soon. I feel like there's so much to do to get ready!
After 11 years of being primarily a SAHM (stay at home mom), I'm going back to work full-time!
I was excited to learn that I'd been hired as a library aid at our school. This is excellent on-the-job training for me (not to mention that I'm now getting paid for practicum hours I needed to fulfill anyway). A great resume booster and I'll be working with a top-notch librarian. For someone in my position who is studying to be a librarian, you really couldn't ask for more.
While my photography business has kept me busy, I've never had a steady work routine. I've always had the freedom to schedule doctor's appointments or hair cuts during the day. I've never had to fight the crowds at the grocery store when the hungry masses are just getting off work. I've always been able to leave town for anything from funerals to visits to old friends without major scheduling issues, even while a student at the university. I realize that those days are over to some extent, and that I will have to make significant changes in the way I do things.
I guess a part of me is a little sad to see the SAHM part of my life pass by. It was good while it lasted, but my girls aren't so little anymore. Our plan was for me to stay home until our youngest went to kindergarten. I did, and now it's time for the next step in life. To be honest, I do perform better when I'm adhering to a fixed, regular schedule.
Then, there's the part of me who is nervous about juggling graduate studies with a full-time job. I've always felt sorry for my classmates, most of whom are full-time teachers trying to get homework done while finishing their lesson plans, too. Still, I should be grateful that as an aid, I will not have such a significant work-load. I don't even have to be at school on teacher in-service days or anything.
There are so many questions and ideas and plans rolling around in my head these days, I can hardly sleep. Monday--my first day on the job--will be here soon. I feel like there's so much to do to get ready!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Great Resources
Summer school has left me with a variety of valuable tools and resources, including:
- a new circle of friends and acquaintances for networking, brainstorming and who can help me survive the rest of grad school
- a list of electronic resources and online tools of which I had no previous knowledge
- books that I can use to create lesson plans
- ideas or "lessons learned" from other teachers who have "been there, done that" so that I don't have to
- more university contacts that I can turn to during grad school (for help) and beyond (for references)
Sunday, June 14, 2009
On Time (and How It Flies)
It's funny how getting older changes how you view even the little things in life. Take exercise, for example: what once seemed like a huge waste of time (because there was plenty of metabolism to go around), now seems like a necessity. When I was a true freshman, time seemed to pass so slowly. It seemed like each week was dragging, postponing the arrival of the weekend. A semester seemed never ending. It was incomprehensible to think about four years of college-that was an ETERNITY to me!
When I was planning to be away for summer school, three weeks seemed like a pretty good chunk of my time. I was sure that the week would pass slowly and the weekend too quickly. Now, I'm back in my dorm room preparing for my final week here and I'm surprised at how quickly time has passed.
When I first stumbled upon the program, it did seem like a giant leap of faith and commitment on my family's part to dedicate three weeks of summer to school, especially since it meant living on campus. Yet, I decided to look at it from a long-term perspective, deciding that the benefits far outweighed the negatives. It really has. Just think: I have added six hours to my transcript in the past two weeks. SIX HOURS!!! By the end of this week, I will have added another three! That's without even mentioning all the great people I've met here, the fact that the whole program is FREE and that I've had time to focus on some personal goals. so thankful that I took advantage of this opportunity.
Here's to one last week of class....then, "Summer, ho!!!"
When I was planning to be away for summer school, three weeks seemed like a pretty good chunk of my time. I was sure that the week would pass slowly and the weekend too quickly. Now, I'm back in my dorm room preparing for my final week here and I'm surprised at how quickly time has passed.
When I first stumbled upon the program, it did seem like a giant leap of faith and commitment on my family's part to dedicate three weeks of summer to school, especially since it meant living on campus. Yet, I decided to look at it from a long-term perspective, deciding that the benefits far outweighed the negatives. It really has. Just think: I have added six hours to my transcript in the past two weeks. SIX HOURS!!! By the end of this week, I will have added another three! That's without even mentioning all the great people I've met here, the fact that the whole program is FREE and that I've had time to focus on some personal goals. so thankful that I took advantage of this opportunity.
Here's to one last week of class....then, "Summer, ho!!!"
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Mama Tired. Very Tired.
Today is the most tired I have been in a while. I'm really dragging.
It may have something to do with the fact that I didn't go to bed until almost 1 a.m. and then the sunshine pouring through my window woke me up before 6 a.m. the next morning. So, instead of rolling over and going back to sleep like a normal person, I got up and went to the gym hoping to beat the "regulars" to the elliptical machines. Instead, the girl at the desk asked if I was there for the morning class. I was feeling rather adventurous, so I simply answered, "Sure." Then, for the next hour I was taking part in "Track Attack" (you pretty much get the drift of the type of exercise I was doing). I came back feeling rather refreshed, productive and ready to tackle my day.
Of course, had I remembered what the day was to entail, I might not have felt so optimistic.
Last week, I truly enjoyed our class. The topics aligned with my interests and abilities well and our assignments ended up being so much fun. We literally laughed until we cried making a funny promotional video! This week, however, is one of those classes that is a required drudgery. It's a topic that just doesn't really inspire anyone. It's "Cataloging and Classification" which means that we are learning about all the different ways that books are cataloged/organized for libraries. Very technical. Very dull. It's a necessary evil--you can't have a library unless books are arranged in an orderly fashion and can be easily located--but it's still a very stale topic.
That's not to say that I can't find the silver lining: my teacher is wonderful and has great ideas for lesson plans, my group is amazing--we work so well together and enjoy one another's company, and we have been able to use some of the tools that we learned about last week to make our group project a little less difficult and more entertaining, etc.
But the bottom line is that this class--or today anyway--has exhausted me. Even if I had gotten more sleep last night, I still think the end result would be the same. I ended up collapsing on my bed for a few minutes after dinner, then my friends took me to Sonic for a little caffeine wake-up call. I'm feeling much better and looking forward to a quiet night of either movie watching or book reading. Here's to hoping that Mama's batteries get recharged for another long day tomorrow...the day we find out what our next two assignments will be!
It may have something to do with the fact that I didn't go to bed until almost 1 a.m. and then the sunshine pouring through my window woke me up before 6 a.m. the next morning. So, instead of rolling over and going back to sleep like a normal person, I got up and went to the gym hoping to beat the "regulars" to the elliptical machines. Instead, the girl at the desk asked if I was there for the morning class. I was feeling rather adventurous, so I simply answered, "Sure." Then, for the next hour I was taking part in "Track Attack" (you pretty much get the drift of the type of exercise I was doing). I came back feeling rather refreshed, productive and ready to tackle my day.
Of course, had I remembered what the day was to entail, I might not have felt so optimistic.
Last week, I truly enjoyed our class. The topics aligned with my interests and abilities well and our assignments ended up being so much fun. We literally laughed until we cried making a funny promotional video! This week, however, is one of those classes that is a required drudgery. It's a topic that just doesn't really inspire anyone. It's "Cataloging and Classification" which means that we are learning about all the different ways that books are cataloged/organized for libraries. Very technical. Very dull. It's a necessary evil--you can't have a library unless books are arranged in an orderly fashion and can be easily located--but it's still a very stale topic.
That's not to say that I can't find the silver lining: my teacher is wonderful and has great ideas for lesson plans, my group is amazing--we work so well together and enjoy one another's company, and we have been able to use some of the tools that we learned about last week to make our group project a little less difficult and more entertaining, etc.
But the bottom line is that this class--or today anyway--has exhausted me. Even if I had gotten more sleep last night, I still think the end result would be the same. I ended up collapsing on my bed for a few minutes after dinner, then my friends took me to Sonic for a little caffeine wake-up call. I'm feeling much better and looking forward to a quiet night of either movie watching or book reading. Here's to hoping that Mama's batteries get recharged for another long day tomorrow...the day we find out what our next two assignments will be!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
College Student Communication in the 21st Century
Now that I find myself back at one of my old colleges, I can't help comparing how things have changed since I was a nineteen year old freshman. The campus is a little different--there are new buildings and landscaping and such--and it also seems a lot smaller now that I'm "all grown up." The food seems to have improved (we finally got to eat in the cafeteria....much better!) and there are many computer labs to choose from these days.
One of the main differences I now see between life for a college student today versus latter years is the availability to keep in touch with people. Just today, I have used my cell phone to call at least three people, texted the same people, IM'd (instant message) a friend (while I was in class, no less), checked my e-mail, and communicated with friends from all over the United States via Facebook.
When I was a traditional undergrad, very few people had e-mail. No one had a cell phone. To keep in touch with my friends and family, I primarily wrote letters. Can you imagine a college student today whipping out paper and pencil to write a letter to someone? If I had only had a few of those communication conveniences back then, I think I would have adjusted much more easily to college life.
So, all-in-all I'm glad that these things exist to keep people connected. I definitely feel less homesick knowing that my friends and family are just a click or a phone call away.
As for today....it was kind of a long one. It started out with the unexpected announcement that the cafeteria is being renovated, so we have been rerouted to the Ball Room for mealtimes. That means we don't have full access to the range of cafeteria foods normally offered. Still, it has been an improvement. At least there is salad, veggies and fresh fruit! Also, the afternoon class time was very long. We worked in front of our computers from one to almost five o'clock without a break--without so much as standing up to stretch! On the positive side, we did seem to accomplish much more today and we are starting a fun video project. Plus, part of our assignment was to set up a Google site, so I was able to get a head start on my electronic portfolio. Yay! Now, I'm off to finish my warm green tea (something I had never tried but was encouraged to do so by a classmate--now I like it!) and read a book (The First Year by Harry Wong) before bedtime. I have to rise and shine early so I can get a warm breakfast before they put it all away and only leave cold bagels or cereal for the late risers.
One of the main differences I now see between life for a college student today versus latter years is the availability to keep in touch with people. Just today, I have used my cell phone to call at least three people, texted the same people, IM'd (instant message) a friend (while I was in class, no less), checked my e-mail, and communicated with friends from all over the United States via Facebook.
When I was a traditional undergrad, very few people had e-mail. No one had a cell phone. To keep in touch with my friends and family, I primarily wrote letters. Can you imagine a college student today whipping out paper and pencil to write a letter to someone? If I had only had a few of those communication conveniences back then, I think I would have adjusted much more easily to college life.
So, all-in-all I'm glad that these things exist to keep people connected. I definitely feel less homesick knowing that my friends and family are just a click or a phone call away.
As for today....it was kind of a long one. It started out with the unexpected announcement that the cafeteria is being renovated, so we have been rerouted to the Ball Room for mealtimes. That means we don't have full access to the range of cafeteria foods normally offered. Still, it has been an improvement. At least there is salad, veggies and fresh fruit! Also, the afternoon class time was very long. We worked in front of our computers from one to almost five o'clock without a break--without so much as standing up to stretch! On the positive side, we did seem to accomplish much more today and we are starting a fun video project. Plus, part of our assignment was to set up a Google site, so I was able to get a head start on my electronic portfolio. Yay! Now, I'm off to finish my warm green tea (something I had never tried but was encouraged to do so by a classmate--now I like it!) and read a book (The First Year by Harry Wong) before bedtime. I have to rise and shine early so I can get a warm breakfast before they put it all away and only leave cold bagels or cereal for the late risers.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Conquering My Reading List
I feel like I'm actually making a little progress and slowly but surely getting a grasp on what's required of me in my classes. Today was especially productive because, in one trip to our local high school, I managed to finish three assignments (observation, interview, book talk) and start another (bibliography).
I've also been able to wade through the gigantic reading list for my young adult literature class and decide what I'm reading when. That sounds like an easy task but trust me--it wasn't!
Plus, after combing through our local library system and high school's card catalog, I've also discovered what I can read for free. I love free.
I'm doing okay on my reading list. So far I've managed to read:
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (my favorite)
Holes by Louis Sachar
Hero by S.L. Rottman
Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (my second favorite thus far)
I'm considering starting another blog to share my personal book reviews on the books that I'm reading. Not only would it be a fun blog project, but it will be a helpful resource when I am a librarian and need to remember the plots and characters of these books in a pinch. I'm still on the fence about it. Maybe now is not quite the time to take on another project.
We'll see!
I've also been able to wade through the gigantic reading list for my young adult literature class and decide what I'm reading when. That sounds like an easy task but trust me--it wasn't!
Plus, after combing through our local library system and high school's card catalog, I've also discovered what I can read for free. I love free.
I'm doing okay on my reading list. So far I've managed to read:
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (my favorite)
Holes by Louis Sachar
Hero by S.L. Rottman
Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (my second favorite thus far)
I'm considering starting another blog to share my personal book reviews on the books that I'm reading. Not only would it be a fun blog project, but it will be a helpful resource when I am a librarian and need to remember the plots and characters of these books in a pinch. I'm still on the fence about it. Maybe now is not quite the time to take on another project.
We'll see!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Out of My Element
I'm not sure if it's being in a non-traditional classroom (ITV + internet) after getting used to a traditional class setting or just being in grad school or because I'm back in the education genre (almost everyone else in class has working experience in the field; I do not), or if it's just that we've only had one class day & I haven't gotten into the flow of things yet, but I feel a little bit like a fish out of water.
As an undergrad, I already had working experience in the areas I was studying, so I was confident. I feel a little intimidated by the many teachers who are in my classes. I guess I feel that I have nothing of value to offer despite the fact that most of them are newbies to the Library-Media world, too.
Luckily, I was chatting with my good friend online this morning and she said this:
"You'll get in the groove at school. That's exactly how I felt when I started, going into a new field that I didn't have as much knowledge about and everyone seemed to "know" more. In the end, I liked grad school much better than undergrad."
It's so good to have encouraging friends who have "been there, done that!"
I am a hard worker, so I have no doubt that I will do well. Okay, well maybe I have a little doubt, but at any rate I know I will survive. Everything happened so quickly, I kind of feel like I'm still caught in a whirlwind. Hopefully, things will settle down soon and I will get into a rhythm with schoolwork and better understand what is expected of me on a weekly basis.
As an undergrad, I already had working experience in the areas I was studying, so I was confident. I feel a little intimidated by the many teachers who are in my classes. I guess I feel that I have nothing of value to offer despite the fact that most of them are newbies to the Library-Media world, too.
Luckily, I was chatting with my good friend online this morning and she said this:
"You'll get in the groove at school. That's exactly how I felt when I started, going into a new field that I didn't have as much knowledge about and everyone seemed to "know" more. In the end, I liked grad school much better than undergrad."
It's so good to have encouraging friends who have "been there, done that!"
I am a hard worker, so I have no doubt that I will do well. Okay, well maybe I have a little doubt, but at any rate I know I will survive. Everything happened so quickly, I kind of feel like I'm still caught in a whirlwind. Hopefully, things will settle down soon and I will get into a rhythm with schoolwork and better understand what is expected of me on a weekly basis.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Going to Grad School: The Backstory
I decided to go to grad school last Thursday. Classes began on Monday. How'd I manage that??
First of all, I had been encouraged by good friend (who is also a librarian) to consider Library-Media studies more seriously. She and I had discussed it in the past, though I had never really spent much time researching which universities offered Library-Media graduate studies. I began looking at our state schools just to see what was available. I also looked at one program--entirely online--that was out-of-state because I had a friend who was enrolled in it.
What really propelled me to start this semester instead of later was free tuition! I found out that one university had received a special grant to extend their library-media studies to the western part of our state (a.k.a "the boondocks"). The grant covers nine hours of graduate tuition! Awesome! The catch: students must come stay on-campus for three weeks during the summer term to take those 9 hours. On the upside, that's nine hours completed in three weeks...nine FREE hours I might add. Also, room, board and transportation are taken care of through the grant. Sweet! The downside, of course, is that I will have to be away from my family for three weeks. I will come home on the weekends, but I will be missing a lot of their summer activities and put extra strain on the husband who will have to juggle work and kids all on his own. Also, the campus is quite a drive--3 to 4 hours away--so there will be no quick trips home mid-week for anything. I keep telling myself that three weeks away from the family is a small price to pay in order to be on my kids' school schedules for the next 12 years of their lives.
When I actually started thinking, "I should do this....like, right now!" I had two pretty big hurdles: deadlines for enrollment were looming & I hadn't taken the GRE. Actually, the university that I am now enrolled in had started classes the day I called to talk to someone about the program. Talk about last-minute!
So, I quickly made the decision to give this a shot. I'm actually glad that there was a small window of opportunity to make that decision, otherwise I might have agonized over it for days. I started typing up applications, faxing unofficial transcripts, requesting official transcripts, e-mailing a trillion people for information, etc. Though I had once been an undergrad student at this particular university, it had been so long that I actually had to reapply for admission. That ended up holding things up a bit, but we finally got everything completed....yesterday (four school days after starting the process). I wasn't actually enrolled when I attended my first class. In fact, I paced the floor all day waiting impatiently to hear word whether or not I should drive to my ITV (interactive television) class. I had to leave by 3:30 to get there in time, and I finally heard back from the university somewhere around 2:30.
Luckily--VERY luckily--for me, this particular program didn't require the GRE for admission. God bless 'em.
I put out the admissions and enrollment fires, now I'm tending to the teacher certification fires! I'm getting a lot of different answers about whether or not I have to be certified before or after I complete the program and how I will go about certification. So now, I'm making tons of phone calls and e-mails to that end.
Maybe I should just be a firefighter instead!
First of all, I had been encouraged by good friend (who is also a librarian) to consider Library-Media studies more seriously. She and I had discussed it in the past, though I had never really spent much time researching which universities offered Library-Media graduate studies. I began looking at our state schools just to see what was available. I also looked at one program--entirely online--that was out-of-state because I had a friend who was enrolled in it.
What really propelled me to start this semester instead of later was free tuition! I found out that one university had received a special grant to extend their library-media studies to the western part of our state (a.k.a "the boondocks"). The grant covers nine hours of graduate tuition! Awesome! The catch: students must come stay on-campus for three weeks during the summer term to take those 9 hours. On the upside, that's nine hours completed in three weeks...nine FREE hours I might add. Also, room, board and transportation are taken care of through the grant. Sweet! The downside, of course, is that I will have to be away from my family for three weeks. I will come home on the weekends, but I will be missing a lot of their summer activities and put extra strain on the husband who will have to juggle work and kids all on his own. Also, the campus is quite a drive--3 to 4 hours away--so there will be no quick trips home mid-week for anything. I keep telling myself that three weeks away from the family is a small price to pay in order to be on my kids' school schedules for the next 12 years of their lives.
When I actually started thinking, "I should do this....like, right now!" I had two pretty big hurdles: deadlines for enrollment were looming & I hadn't taken the GRE. Actually, the university that I am now enrolled in had started classes the day I called to talk to someone about the program. Talk about last-minute!
So, I quickly made the decision to give this a shot. I'm actually glad that there was a small window of opportunity to make that decision, otherwise I might have agonized over it for days. I started typing up applications, faxing unofficial transcripts, requesting official transcripts, e-mailing a trillion people for information, etc. Though I had once been an undergrad student at this particular university, it had been so long that I actually had to reapply for admission. That ended up holding things up a bit, but we finally got everything completed....yesterday (four school days after starting the process). I wasn't actually enrolled when I attended my first class. In fact, I paced the floor all day waiting impatiently to hear word whether or not I should drive to my ITV (interactive television) class. I had to leave by 3:30 to get there in time, and I finally heard back from the university somewhere around 2:30.
Luckily--VERY luckily--for me, this particular program didn't require the GRE for admission. God bless 'em.
I put out the admissions and enrollment fires, now I'm tending to the teacher certification fires! I'm getting a lot of different answers about whether or not I have to be certified before or after I complete the program and how I will go about certification. So now, I'm making tons of phone calls and e-mails to that end.
Maybe I should just be a firefighter instead!
Going to Grad School: Why?
Obviously, if you've been reading my posts for the past year, I wasn't seriously considering enrolling in grad school. I didn't plan to start grad school a only few weeks after graduation, either. Honestly, I had been tossing the idea around for a while, but something held me back.
I am now enrolled in a Library-Media Specialist program. Why?
*I love to read.
*I love technology.
*I love researching.
*I place a high value on education.
*I'm a life-long learner.
*I'm curious (reading/researching helps satisfy my curiosity).
*I have a strong desire to be in a steady job.
*Bonus: I want to be on the same school schedule as my children.
Thirteen years ago when I started my college career as a "true freshman," I was an English Education major. When I started back as an adult student, I still intended to get my teacher certification, but I had planned to go through an alternative certification process. Somewhere along the way, I began to reconsider; the alternative certification process would have been a little more difficult since I had a Mass Comm degree rather than English. I was also a little concerned about the way teacher's are required to teach these days (a.k.a. "teaching for the test"--standardized tests). Still, I always pictured myself working in the school system in some manner.
Throughout my Mass Comm studies, I was encouraged to try my hand at freelance writing as a career choice. While it appealed to me in many ways, I did express my qualms about constantly having to track down work and (once again) I also desired to have steady employment...something that would (for the most part) allow me to go home at the end of the day and not carry my work home. I also wrestled with the decision to send my resume in for a newspaper position that I was definitely qualified for and probably could have taken. I debated with myself constantly, and it never felt like the right thing to do for myself or my family.
I have come to realize that what you CAN do and what's BEST to do are not always the same things. People think that I am a skilled photographer. I could continue in this profession and continue to grow my skills, but it is an unpredictable job--income is unsteady, it requires countless hours of time working in front of a computer and the best hours for photography are often the times that I most want to be with my family (nights/weekends). I could write for a living. It would be interesting work--I would get to research a variety of topics and meet interesting people--but I would also have to basically "beg" for work each day (it's called "marketing" in the freelance world--lol!) and I'm not sure my fragile ego can handle the constant rejection that is part of daily life of a writer.
I'm not going to lie: I'm a job snob. I hate this about myself because I was always taught that no job should ever be beneath me. Not everyone is meant for white collar work; we should all just do whatever job we're given to the best of our abilities. But still...I find myself asking, "What would people think if I did this?" or "Is this a respectable profession?"
What do you think of when you hear the word, "librarian?" Chances are, you are remembering a librarian from your hometown or school. It's probably a woman, she's probably older, and she may or may not be a little grouchy, right? I think the one thing that was holding me back from looking into this (seriously) earlier was that negative perception. That's so childish, I know, especially since most librarians that I know these days don't fit that mold at all!
Honestly, librarian is a very good fit for me in many aspects. I'm actually excited about this new journey, even after surviving my first night of classes. I've got a giant list of young adult literature to read, and I can't wait!
A professor once told me something (twelve years ago) that I've never forgotten: "It's not what you know, it's knowing where to find the answer." I live by that statement. You don't have to be super-smart or remember everything that you've ever read, but if you have the tools to find the answers that you need, you will never lack for anything. Librarians give people the tools to find the answers that they need. This is why grad school--and becoming a librarian--is perfect for me.
P.S. Did I mention that librarian was listed as one of the top 30 best careers for 2009 by U.S. News and World Report?
I am now enrolled in a Library-Media Specialist program. Why?
*I love to read.
*I love technology.
*I love researching.
*I place a high value on education.
*I'm a life-long learner.
*I'm curious (reading/researching helps satisfy my curiosity).
*I have a strong desire to be in a steady job.
*Bonus: I want to be on the same school schedule as my children.
Thirteen years ago when I started my college career as a "true freshman," I was an English Education major. When I started back as an adult student, I still intended to get my teacher certification, but I had planned to go through an alternative certification process. Somewhere along the way, I began to reconsider; the alternative certification process would have been a little more difficult since I had a Mass Comm degree rather than English. I was also a little concerned about the way teacher's are required to teach these days (a.k.a. "teaching for the test"--standardized tests). Still, I always pictured myself working in the school system in some manner.
Throughout my Mass Comm studies, I was encouraged to try my hand at freelance writing as a career choice. While it appealed to me in many ways, I did express my qualms about constantly having to track down work and (once again) I also desired to have steady employment...something that would (for the most part) allow me to go home at the end of the day and not carry my work home. I also wrestled with the decision to send my resume in for a newspaper position that I was definitely qualified for and probably could have taken. I debated with myself constantly, and it never felt like the right thing to do for myself or my family.
I have come to realize that what you CAN do and what's BEST to do are not always the same things. People think that I am a skilled photographer. I could continue in this profession and continue to grow my skills, but it is an unpredictable job--income is unsteady, it requires countless hours of time working in front of a computer and the best hours for photography are often the times that I most want to be with my family (nights/weekends). I could write for a living. It would be interesting work--I would get to research a variety of topics and meet interesting people--but I would also have to basically "beg" for work each day (it's called "marketing" in the freelance world--lol!) and I'm not sure my fragile ego can handle the constant rejection that is part of daily life of a writer.
I'm not going to lie: I'm a job snob. I hate this about myself because I was always taught that no job should ever be beneath me. Not everyone is meant for white collar work; we should all just do whatever job we're given to the best of our abilities. But still...I find myself asking, "What would people think if I did this?" or "Is this a respectable profession?"
What do you think of when you hear the word, "librarian?" Chances are, you are remembering a librarian from your hometown or school. It's probably a woman, she's probably older, and she may or may not be a little grouchy, right? I think the one thing that was holding me back from looking into this (seriously) earlier was that negative perception. That's so childish, I know, especially since most librarians that I know these days don't fit that mold at all!
Honestly, librarian is a very good fit for me in many aspects. I'm actually excited about this new journey, even after surviving my first night of classes. I've got a giant list of young adult literature to read, and I can't wait!
A professor once told me something (twelve years ago) that I've never forgotten: "It's not what you know, it's knowing where to find the answer." I live by that statement. You don't have to be super-smart or remember everything that you've ever read, but if you have the tools to find the answers that you need, you will never lack for anything. Librarians give people the tools to find the answers that they need. This is why grad school--and becoming a librarian--is perfect for me.
P.S. Did I mention that librarian was listed as one of the top 30 best careers for 2009 by U.S. News and World Report?
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